Wire-stretching device



Jan. 16, 1951 J. P. WYATT WIRE STRETCHING DEVICE Filed April 22, 1949 e [ME ain. 7

John My-=75? Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,538,141 'WIRE-STRETCHING DEVICE John P. Wyatt, Raleigh, N. o.

1949, Serial No. 89,028 3 Claims. (0]. 254-77) Application April 22,

This invention relates to a novel construction of wire stretcher, particularly adapted for use in stretching single strands or woven fence wire and which may be elfectively employed by one operator for rapidly stretching wire with a minimum of manual effort and for effectively holding the wire under tension while it is stapled to a fence post, tree trunk or other upright anchoring Another object of the invention is to provide a wire fence stretcher having a 'novel means for clamping the wire therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide while held under tension.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of extremely simple condrawing, illustrating preferred embodiments .1

thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the assembled wire stretcher and showing a portion of a strand of wire engaged thereby;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view thereof; a

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the wire stretcher taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the wire stretcher in use, and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 and illustrating a slightly different embodiment of the wire stretcher.

Referring more specifically to the drawing and particularly with reference to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, the novel wire stretcher in its entirety is designated generally 6 and includes a T-shaped coupling, designated generally 1 and a leverage member, designated generally 8.

The T-shaped coupling member I comprises a longitudinal sleeve portion 9 and a transverse sleeve portion I 6 which is formed integral with an intermediate portion of thesleeve 9 and which i projects laterally therefrom. The transverse sleeve I0 is internally threaded as seen at II at its outer end to receive a threaded plug I2 which may be provided at its outer end with a restricted shank l3 of non-circular cross section for receiving a turning tool, not shown. The sleeve I6, contiguous with its threaded portion I I is provided with an outwardly opening substantially V-shaped notch I4 which is preferably beveled on the external slde of said sleeve which a portion of a strand of wire I5 is adapted to extend; the wire strand I5 being applied to the notch- I4 when the plug I2 is removed or after which the plug I2 is applied sleeve portion II in the inner end I4 to thereby anchor the strand IE to the wire stretcher 6.

' The lever 8 includes a length of pipe I6 and a length of pipe I! of a larger internal and external diameter than the pipe I6. The pipe I6 is provided with an externally threaded end I8 which and its end is one end of said sleeve 9. Assuming that the coupling 1 is thus applied to the pipe wire strand I5 is I6 of the lever '8 and that the the pipe I6 is placed against a stationary upright such as a fence post or tree trunk 2-5, as illustrated in Figure 4 and which is used as a fulcrum for the lever 8 and by engagement with saidlast mentioned end of the pipe I6. The pipe I1 is employed as a handle and is swung in the direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 4 for stretching the fence strand I5 and as saidlever 8 is thus swung beyond its position of Figure 4 the coupling 'I will slide on the pipe I6 toward the post or tree trunk 25 to position a portion of the strand I 5 against said upright 25 and so that after the strand I5 has been stretched to the desired extent and while being held under tension,

it may be secured by a staple or other fastening, not shown, to the upright 25.

A slightly modified form of the wire stretcher, designated generally 6a is illustrated in Figure and for use in stretching woven fence wire and wherein two or more Of the T-shaped couplings 1 are employed, each of which is connected to a longitudinal strand of the Woven wire fence 26 in the same manner that the single strand i5 is anchored to the coupling 1, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 and as previously described. A rod or pipe 21 tions 9 of the couplings 1 and disposed in. an upright position so that said sleeve portions will be disposed substantially vertically, instead. of substantially horizontally as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. Two rods or pipes 28 are then disposed as seen in Figure 5 with portions thereof engaging against the rod 21 and with corresponding ends thereof bearing against the post or trunk.25 tofulcrum thereon when the rods or levers 28- are swung in a direction as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5 for stretching the woven wire 26 and for causing the rod 21 and the couplings 'I' carried thereby to slide on the levers 2-8 toward the post or trunk 25 after said levers have passed a point at right angles to the plane of the woven wire- 26, and so that the woven wire can be stapled or'otherwise fastened to the upright 25 while held under tension by the levers 28.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, with out departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wire stretcher comprising a sleeve member, wire clamping means forming a part thereof and projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to detachably clamp a strand of wire therein, and a leverage member having end sections of different external diameters, one of said end sections being sized to slidablyand detachably engage in the sleeve member, the other leverage section being of larger diameter than the sleeve bore and forming a stop for limiting the sliding movement is then passed through the sleeve porof the sleeve in one direction relatively to the leverage member, and the opposite end of the smaller section of the leverage member being adapted to be fulcrumed against a stationary upright member relatively to which the leverage member is swung in a direction for stretching the wire and for positioning the leverage member so that said sleeve member will slide thereon toward the stationary upright.

2. A wire stretcher as in claim 1, said sleeve member and its wire clamping means comprising a substantially T-shaped coupling having a plug for detachably and adjustably engaging the outer end of the lateral leg thereof, and said lateral leg of the coupling having an outwardly opening V-shaped notch adapted to receive the wire strand and in which the strand is clamped by the plug when the latter is moved to an advanced position.

3. A woven wire fence stretcher comprising a plurality of wire clamping members each adapted to be detachably clamped to a longitudinal strand of a length of woven fence wire, said wire clamping members having sleeve portions, an elongated rigid member detachably engaging each of said sleeve portions and disposed substantially in an upright position, and a plurality of elongated levers having corresponding ends adapted to be fulcrumed against a stationary upright member and having other corresponding portions thereof engaging said elongated rigid member for displacing said rigid member and the wire engaging members in a direction for tensioning the woven fence wire when. said levers are swung in one direction on their fulcrumed ends.

JOHN P. WYATT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

